Improvement in gymnastic apparatus



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H. C. BRIGGS.

' emmsncmmmws. v I N 174,499 Patented March 7,1876.

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NJETERS PHDTO-LJTHOGMPNH. WASH NGTON D C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM O. BRIGGS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ON E-HALF HIS RIGHT TOCHARLES C. SPENCER, OF EAST SAGINAW, MIOHIGA N.

, IMPROVEMENT m GYMNASTIC APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 174,499, dated March 7,1876; application filed November 6, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM G. Dawes, of the city of New York, in thecounty of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Gymnastic Apparatus; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,- whichwill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification:

Figure 1. is a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is an endelevation of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 show the frame when closed. Fig. 5is the revolving apparatus. Fig. 6 shows the sleeve in which the rod 0revolves. Fig. 7 is a section of the ladder.

The object of my invention is to combine in a cheap, portable, andserviceable form various mechanical devices for physical culture andamusement.

I make a frame of four pieces of timber, A, A A A", joined at their topsby hinges, a a and cut in a shape to allow their feet to separate widelyin one direction, as in Fig. 1, to support the action of the swing, andnot too widely in the other, as in Fig. 2, to form a proper support forthe horizontal bars. Their feet are fastened securely by bolts orotherwise To the side of each piece forming the end of the frame Iattach strips B B which hold the horizontal bars K in place. By the pinsk k in the holes I) b the bar is secured at any desired height. To thetop part of one piece of the frame A a sleeve, 0 is fastened in whichthe rod 0 revolves. This rod has four arms, D, at its lower end, whichare hooked at their ends, and on each a rope, d, is suspended, forming aroundabout or revolving swing. For the ordinary swing the ropes d d areplaced over the short bars k k which prevent the rod (J from turning andkeep the double seat H always in a horizontal position. The seat isattached to the ropes ((1 cl by the ropes d 01 hooked into the eyeletsd. When the seat is not used two of the ropes are attached by theireyelets to the pins d", and the other two can be used with the rings Ffor the hand'swing, or for v the trapeze G. The ladder I is so constructed that its sides may be used for parallel bars by removing all therounds i 2', except one i at each end. It is used as a horizontal ladderby being placed across or strapped to the under side of the bars K, andas an inclined ladder, k by strapping one end to the short bar k N is aboard with a cleat, n, on its under side, which is used as a seesaw; atransverse groove in the cleat prevents it from slipping on the bar. Mshows the same in motion. This board placed across the bars K, or, whenthe ladder is in the inclined position, placed under one round of theladder and over the bar K, forms a spring-board. f and g are hooks bywhich the rings and trapeze are attached to the ropes. d is a small cordattached to the bars 10 for the purpose of propelling the swing. It maybe used from either or both seats of the swing. h h are the pins bywhich the ropes d are fastened to the seat H. E is the stantially asdescribed.

2. In combination with the supportingframe specified, the revolvingapparatus (3 D, substantially as described.

3. The ladder I joined at the ends and provided with the removable pins,substantially as setforth. v

4. An exercising machine, consisting of the roundabout, the ordinaryswing, the

hand-swing, the trapeze, the horizontal bar, parallel bars, horizontaland inclined ladder, the seesaw, and the spring-board, all constructedand arranged to operate substantially as herein described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aflix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

HIRAM' O. BRIGGS.

Witnesses J. T. OoLDwELL, EDWIN BURT.

